Zachariah Benjamin – Mercantile Marine - S.S. Harmattan
Assistant Cook Zachariah Benjamin – Mercantile Marine, S.S. Harmattan
Early Life and Background
Very little is known about Zachariah Benjamin, and
few records of his life have survived. According to the Commonwealth War
Graves Commission, Zachariah was born in 1868 in Swansea, the son of
Simon Benjamin and Ellen Abraham. His surname and family
background suggest that he may have been of Jewish descent, though this
cannot be confirmed from the available evidence.
Service in the Mercantile Marine
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| Registers and Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths of Passengers and Seamen at Sea |
Zachariah Benjamin served as an Assistant Cook in the
Mercantile Marine during the First World War. His name appears in
the Registers and Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths of Passengers and
Seamen at Sea, which records that he lost his life on 5 May 1917
while serving aboard the S.S. Harmattan.
The S.S. Harmattan
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| S.S. Harmattan |
On 5th May 1917, while sailing in the Mediterranean
Sea, the Harmattan struck a mine laid by the German submarine UC-37,
approximately seven miles north of Cape Bon, Algeria. The vessel had
been travelling from Avonmouth, via Gibraltar, carrying government
stores when the explosion occurred. The ship sank rapidly, resulting in the
loss of 36 crew members, including Assistant Cook Zachariah Benjamin.
The loss of the Harmattan highlights the constant
dangers faced by merchant seamen during the First World War, as German
U-boats and mine-laying submarines sought to disrupt vital shipping routes
across the world’s oceans.
The German Submarine UC-37
The UC-37 was a Type UC II minelaying
submarine of the Imperial German Navy, ordered in November 1915,
launched in June 1916, and commissioned in October 1916. Built by
Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, she displaced around 427 tons surfaced
and 509 tons submerged, with a length of 50.35 metres. UC-37 was
powered by diesel and electric engines, giving her a surface speed of 11.6
knots and a submerged speed of 6.6 knots.
She was armed with six mine tubes, carrying up to 18
UC-200 mines, three torpedo tubes (two bow and one stern), seven
torpedoes, and an 8.8 cm deck gun, and carried a crew of about 26
men.
During her service, UC-37 conducted 13 patrols,
sinking 66 ships by mines or torpedoes, including the S.S. Harmattan
on 5th May 1917. She surrendered to Allied forces at Sevastopol
on 25th November 1918 and was later broken up at Bizerte
in 1921. UC-37’s record underscores the devastating effectiveness of
German submarine warfare and the extreme peril faced by Allied merchant ships
throughout the Great War.
Loss at Sea and Commemoration
S.S. Harmattan
Tower Hill Memorial, London
credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
The Merchant Navy Memorial S.S. Harmattan
Tower Hill Memorial, London
credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
The Merchant Navy Memorial S.S. Harmattan
Tower Hill Memorial, London
credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
The Merchant Navy Memorial S.S. Harmattan
Tower Hill Memorial, London
credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
The Merchant Navy Memorial
Zachariah Benjamin was among those who perished in the sinking of the S.S. Harmattan on 5th May 1917. Like so many in the Mercantile Marine, he served courageously in a civilian role, contributing to Britain’s wartime supply network in dangerous and unpredictable conditions.
His name is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial,
London, which honours the men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing
Fleets who lost their lives at sea during the First World War and
have no known grave but the ocean.
Legacy
Though few details of his personal life remain, Zachariah
Benjamin’s service and sacrifice represent the thousands of seafarers who
gave their lives to sustain Britain during the Great War. His memory endures
among those commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, a lasting tribute
to the courage of the Merchant Navy and their vital role in securing
victory through endurance and sacrifice.
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